Hindu Shastras divide human life into four limited phases of 20 years each called as Ashramas. First Ashrama is that of a student, second is that of a householder, third is of a retired person and final one belongs to a renunciant.
Now, if you are a KAS 2016 qualified candidate and wish to someday retire into the forests of Pir-Panchal, pray that you get two lifetimes. That is because the KAS exam has been delayed endlessly, most latest on the charge of ‘unrealised- expectations’ of a group of students who failed to qualify the exam and have now challenged the process in the courts. But this piece is not about them. It is about the pain that the qualified students have suffered and the need to fast-track the completion of this exam.
Nearly 40,000 students tried their chances at this exam atthe Prelims stage. After a process lasting three stages and three years, just963 candidates remain in the fray. Eventually only 277 will be finallyselected. This makes for a success rate of just 0.7 percent! Thus, the exam isrigorous and unforgiving.
The qualified candidates after having successfullynegotiated thus far feel they have been given a raw deal. The unnecessarydelays have violated our rights to opportunity and dignified life. Our youth iswasted, our families have suffered, we are subject to mental trauma and deepfinancial problems.
We are victims of vested interests who have usedinstitutional route to frustrate the selection process. These interests havefurther assailed our merit through a false smear campaign based on untruths andobfuscation. What is unfortunate is that our dignity in discourse has beenmistaken for incompetence!
It must be stressed that we are a meritorious lot andinclude students who have distinguished themselves and the state at bothNational and International Levels. Among our ranks include toppers ofprofessional and academic exams, students from finest of institutes such asDelhi University, IITs, NITs, JNU, Government Medical Colleges, NLU etc. Todeny such candidates their merit is tyranny.
Not just us, even the state has suffered. Unlike previousyears, there were zero selections in IAS from Kashmir this year as the repeateddelays in KAS caused an uncertain atmosphere to compete in IAS. The new KAS2018 exam process has also been delayed by over a year now.
Moreover, delays in prestigious exams such as KAS set aprecedent for “stay-culture” wherein exams such as for Sub-Inspector,General Line Teachers etc are challenged in courts for similar frivolousreasons. All this worsens the chronic unemployment problem of J&K which isat an All India high of 25 percent in the under 30 age group.
As discussed above, out of 963 only 277 will eventually makeit to the final list. What about the remaining 686? It is a humanitarian pleathat the result be expedited so that these 686 can redirect their effortstowards something productive and build their careers anew. Overall, a quickdecision will bring closure to the families and candidates. This exam hasconsumed too much in its uncertainty.
Finally, much untruth has been spread against the newlyadopted exam governance technology: On Screen Marking (OSM). It seems creatingfalse narrative against efficient technologies is the order of the day. Justlike the EVMs stand accused of unfounded faults by a few political parties, sohas the OSM been victim of myths and imagined faults. It is important to notethat OSM is the ultimate innovation for bettering the process of exams. Itfollows the SMART principles.
This means the OSM is Secure as it follows fire-walling, endto end data integrity checks and high standards of data incorruptibility. It isMonitorable as the system keeps a record of pages visited by the examiner, timespent on each page. It is pro- Accountability as any candidate can requestone’s answer copy under RTI Act after the exam, as per due process of law. Itis Responsive to examiner’s needs as summation errors and over-attempts bystudents can be checked. Finally, it is Technologically Efficient as it isspeedier and cost effective. Whether a student writes in pencil or in ink,draws a diagram, writes in points or paragraphs, this technology captures allof it with high fidelity.
“A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discoveredthe value of life.” So said Charles Darwin. In line with this we appealthe stake-holder institutions including the Judiciary and JKPSC to recognisethe grave nature of the matter and resolve the KAS 2016 Selection matter on awar footing. It will be justice, not just for us but also for the youth of theentire state.
The writer is an All India Topper of UPSC CAPF Exam & agraduate of National Institute of Technology Srinagar